


The Hour Is Getting Late

by lunarknightz



Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-18
Updated: 2009-05-18
Packaged: 2017-10-03 23:01:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarknightz/pseuds/lunarknightz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the final battle, the consequences are high, and there are no winners.  An alternate version of "Doosmday".</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Hour Is Getting Late

The building was old, a classic treasure from another era. It had only survived the wrath of the wrecking ball because of historical significance. While the history of the building kept it intact, it did not make for speedy repairs. Much of the building was still covered in plastic sheeting or fitted with construction framework.

She had been given the penthouse apartment as a wedding present, but until now, hadn't stepped foot in the place. Chloe wasn't sure of protocol when the marriage falls apart just after the vows were given, and she didn't exactly know Lana's current address to return the gift.

Now she needed a safe haven. From the circular windows of the apartment she could see the entire city of Metropolis. Metropolis was her hometown, as fond of Smallville as Chloe had grown over the years, it was still her favorite place on the planet. The globe of the Planet glistened in the sky nearby, seeming almost close enough to touch.

The world was on fire.

All she could do was watch it burn.

Doomsday had come to Metropolis.

The streets were littered with wreckage and small fires. The destruction and chaos reminded her of Dark Thursday. The world had almost ended then. The future seemed unfathomable now.

Her choices in the last few days had seemed right at the time. Now, with the time to sit and think about them, she wasn't so sure.

She'd tried to save Clark, while trying to save Davis. Chloe didn't believe in no win situations, but she feared this might be one.

Davis was alive, breathing shallowly beside her on the floor. The black kryptonite had separated his human side from the monstrous.

And Clark…Clark was out there, somewhere in Metropolis, fighting the creature. The monster was Kryptonian….and if anything could kill Clark Kent, it would be something from his home planet, like the meteor rocks. But this monster was much more than Kryptonite.

Chloe's heart leapt at the sound of a familiar whoosh of air.

"Clark!"

He wrapped his arms around her. Chloe savored the closeness, the fact that he was here, alive.

She craned her neck up to look at his face. "You're bleeding."

"I'm fine."

As she looked at Clark, she realized that he wasn't fine. He was bleeding; not horribly, but steadily, from several small cuts on his face. He was bruised and dirty, He looked gaunt, weak, and _exhausted_.

"The monster?"

"He's dead, Chloe."

"You need to sit down." She insisted.

"Chloe, I'm fine." He insisted. "I had to make sure that you…that you were okay."

"I'm not the one that just went fifteen rounds in the ring with Apollo Creed. The last few weeks haven't been the greatest of my life, but I'm strong. I'm okay."

"I've been so worried about you. Chloe, knowing my secret doesn't mean that you have to put yourself in danger. I would never ask that of you."

"Clark…if there's one thing in the entire universe that I have absolute faith in, it's _you_. The older I get the more I realize that the world is crazy, and dumb, and dangerous, and it's a miracle that any of us manage to survive. Time and time again, I've seen you save…people, me…the world. The world needs a hero, Clark. And I know that's you. The world _needs_ you. Me? I'm just a girl that's good with computers that was possessed by an alien AI. I'm expendable. You're not."

"You're not expendable." Clark growled. "Don't say that. Not even."

"Clark…Metropolis would suffer without the Red Blue Blur. My friends would miss me, but for the most part, people wouldn't notice that I'm gone."

"I would notice." Clark frowned. "I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you."

"Clark…"

"Chloe…" Clark put his hands gently under her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "You're my best friend. You've been there for me and stood by my side. Since you disappeared with Davis, I haven't been able to think…and I know this is probably the worst possible time I could say anything, after Lana and Jimmy, and…" Clark took a deep breath. "I…I love you."

She responded by kissing him.

A thunderous roar interrupted them.

Davis was awake, standing up, not far from them. His eyes were glowing red.

Chloe walked towards him, stretching her hand out. "Davis…"

"How could you do this?" He growled. "I loved you, Chloe. I thought you loved me. You're the only one who ever loved me." Hot, angry tears pooled in his eyes. "Why, Chloe, Why?"

"Davis…I care about you. I want….I want….to save you."

"SAVE ME?" He growled. "There is nothing left to save!" Davis bloomed out into the Kryptonian monster once more, the horns and scales bursting from his skin. He charged towards Chloe.

Davis was fast, but Clark was faster. Clark speeded in front of Chloe, taking the attack while knocking down Doomsday with an incredibly strong blow. The blow, similar to the one that he'd laid on the other monster to lay it down, was a death knell.

The monster died once more.

Chloe rushed over to Clark.

Several of the horns on Doomsday's body had pierced Clark's body. He was bleeding profusely, and his skin, which had been pale before, now had a gray tone. His breath was raggedy, coming out in gasps and wheezes.

Chloe cradled Clark in her arms. She was crying, and she willed her dormant healing power to work. It didn't.

Clark was dying. She knew it. But Chloe didn't want to admit it.

"You stopped him. You saved me…You saved us all." She murmured, holding him close. "I love you."

"Love…too." Clark gasped. "Tell…Mom…"

"Don't say goodbye." Chloe pleaded. "Help will be here soon, Clark. Hold on Clark. I love you."

 

__________________________

 

What happened next was an accident.

After the dust settled, after they buried Clark in a quiet, private ceremony with Martha, Kara, Lana, and the League; after Lois had been missing without a trace long enough to be listed amongst those missing after the events in Metropolis, Chloe returned to the Daily Planet.

She took boxes and packed up Clark's and Lois' desks. She scanned their hard drives (especially Clark's) to make sure there was nothing incriminating stored that could be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands.

In Lois' desk, she found a letter from the Red-Blue Blur. Clark had written a goodbye letter to Metropolis. Reading Clark's words made Chloe cry.

_Clark knew he was going to die_.

The world…the world needed to read this. It was Clark's last testament. She had to make sure it was published.

Chloe typed it up and went to Lois' editor. She introduced herself, and showed him the article.

"I thought that Lane was M.I.A." He said, looking at the article. "How'd you get this?"

Chloe didn't like lying; but she owed it to Clark to get this published. "Lois was pretty beaten up in the crisis out there. She's in bad shape, but typed this up and gave it to me. Said it came from the Red-Blue Blur." Chloe stood her ground. "The Red-Blue Blur was the only thing that could have stopped that creature. He saved us all, and this deserves to be published."

"So Lois is okay?"

"She might be out of commission for awhile. I'm her medical proxy, and the doctors were throwing around terms like home rest and such."

The editor took the article, and read it over. "This is great stuff. It'll be front page in the next edition. You tell Lois to feel better. Whatever the doctor says, we'll work with. Maybe have her write some human-interest pieces or columns until she's back on her feet. If she can put out stuff like this…it's gold."

Lois had several articles published in the next few weeks- articles that could mostly be done by phone interviews or Internet research. Chloe knew that writing under cousin's name might not be ethical, but it kept Lois' legacy alive.

Chloe had to believe that Lois would return. That she was still alive…somewhere. She'd lost Clark. She couldn't lose Lois.

She'd already lost herself.

______________________

Chloe buried Davis in the field where he'd buried his victims.

Her heart still ached over Davis. Was he a man, or a monster? Could she reconcile the man who'd been her friend, the person she'd had some sort of feelings for, and the creature that had killed Clark?

There would be no absolution for any of it. Never would there be an answer.

She'd never understand why.


End file.
